Kiké Hernández is officially back on Tuesday, and guess who he’s facing? Our Seattle Mariners. After missing two months with an oblique issue, he’s jumping right back into the lineup, and yeah, that’s our M’s lining up against him first. Talk about a warm welcome! This is a big move for the Dodgers, who are looking to end their current road trip with a sweet 7-2 record before kicking off their upcoming homestand on July 28.
The Dodgers Get a Double Shot of Help
It’s not just Hernández making his comeback. Closer Edwin Díaz, who’s been out for over three months recovering from elbow surgery to remove loose bodies, is also getting activated on Wednesday. Can you believe it? Díaz has only pitched six innings all season, and Hernández has a mere two games under his belt. Both these updates dropped on Saturday, reported by David Vassegh of AM 570, so it’s fresh news. Hernández even logged five games with the Oklahoma City Comets during his rehab, going 6-18 with a homer, showing he’s been putting in the work. Díaz’s rehab was shorter, just one inning over two appearances with Oklahoma City, but he’s ready to go. You know the Dodgers are pumped to get these guys back, especially with the grind of the regular season still going strong.
Tucker Wakes Up, Ohtani Hits Another Snag
While these two are coming back, it’s been a wild ride for other Dodgers. Kyle Tucker, for example, had a seriously disappointing first half. He limped into the All-Star break with only seven home runs and a slash line of .244/.341/.375. His start to the second half against the Yankees and Phillies wasn’t any prettier, but then he finally found his groove against the Mets. The dude hit the deciding home run on Friday in a 4-2 win, and then started the scoring on Saturday with another dinger! That’s the first time he’s hit home runs in consecutive games as a Dodger. He even told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that the “coaching staff and the players that we have on this team is unbelievable,” and how they’re all about wanting “to get to the end of the season and win a World Series.” That kind of turnaround can ignite a clubhouse.
But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows for the blue crew. Shohei Ohtani was scheduled for a bullpen session on Saturday, but his left knee flared up again, and now the two-way superstar is completely shut down from throwing. Dave Roberts still expects Ohtani to pitch during the regular season, but he’s not rushing it. Roberts emphasized, “We are not going to move forward until he feels 100 percent confident and we feel 100 percent confident that we should do it.” He noted there was “a little bit of regression” in Ohtani’s last bullpen. You gotta hope Ohtani gets right, but for now, that’s a tough blow for their rotation.
Our Mariners have their work cut out for them on Tuesday, facing a fired-up Kiké Hernández making his return. This isn’t just another game; it’s a test for our boys against a Dodgers team getting healthier and finding its rhythm. Get ready, Emerald City, because this one’s gonna be a battle!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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